Buggy-shaft tug.



' W. G. PETREB.

BUGGY SHAFT TUG.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1909.

Patented May 24, 1910.

llVVE/WOR WITNESSES ANDREW a. GRAHAM c0 PNOYO-LITHOGRAFHERL WASHINGTON.D. C

WALTER, GARFIELD PETREE, OF DANBURY, NORTH CAROLINA.

BUGGY-SI-IAFT 'IUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 19, 1909.

Patented May 24, 1910. Serial No. 513,547.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER G. PETREE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Danbury, in the county of Stokes and State of NorthCarolina, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Bugg ShaftTugs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in buggy shaft tugs and consists incertain novel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafterdescribed and claimed;

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterspecified, which will obviate the necessity of slipping the tug over theend of the shaft, and wherein the shaft will automatically enter andlock the tug when it is lowered into place.

Referring to the drawing forming a part hereofFigure 1 is a perspectiveview of the tug; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a side viewpartly in section, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the latch bar.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, consists of strapor plate 1 of suitable material, to one of whose ends is secured abuckle 2, in any suitable manner and to the other end' a ring 3, whileinterme diate its ends a box loop 4 is provided. Near its lower end, andon the opposite side from the loop, the strap is provided with a keeper5, which is curved and provided at its free end with an inclined lug 6forming a guide, for engagement by the shaft. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2the keeper is braced by upper and lower braces 7 and 8, and the upperone 7 is provided with an opening 9 therethrough. Adjacent to thebuckle, the strap is provided with spaced bearings 10, between which isreceived a bearing 11 on the one end of a bar 12, and the alinedbearings are traversed by a pin or rivet 13 for securing the parts inpivoted relation. The bar, as will be evident from an inspection of Fig.2 is inclined, so that when the shaft is directed thereagainst by thelug 6, the weight of the shaft will move the bar inwardly against theplate. The lower end of the bar is provided with spaced bearings 14,between which is received a bearing 15 on the end of a curved latch 16,and a pin orrivet 17 traverses the alined bearings. The opposite end ofthe latch is engaged with the opening 9 of the brace, as shown in Figs.1, 2 and 3 and is slidable therethrough. The latch is limited in itsupward movement by a cross head 18,

on the end thereof, the said cross head being of greater length than thelength of the opening and engaging the sides thereof, when the oppositeend of the latch is in engagement with the keeper as shown in Fig. 2.

A plate spring 20 is secured by one end as at 21 to the plate 1, and thefree end thereof engages the rear face of the bar to normally retain thelatch in the position shown in Fig. 2 that is to close the loop or ringformed by the keeper, and latch, in which the shaft is adapted to rest.

The keeper 5 and the latch 16 form a sectional ring, one of whosesections, the latch, is slidable on the other to form the ring forreceiving the shaft, and the movable section is normally retainedclosecl by the spring. The plate forms a support or mounting for thering, and the lug 6 a guide for directing the shaft against the bar andinto the ring, while the bar 12 is a means for moving the movablesection of the ring.

In use the tugs are buckled to the billets of the pad by means of thebuckle 2, one on each side of the horse, and the loop 4: is

for receiving the surplus of the strap or billet after buckling, thesaid loop being next to the body of the horse.

When hitching, the shafts are raised and the horse is backed thereunderafter which they are lowered. The shafts engage the lugs and are guidedinwardly against the bars and the weight thereof presses the said barsinwardly against the resistance of the springs, thus sliding the latchor movable portion of the ring open, to permit the shaft to enter thering.

I claim:

1. A device of the character specified, comprising a plate provided atone end with a buckle and at the other with a ring, a curved keeper onone side of the plate the free end of the keeper being inclinedoutwardly and upwardly, and spaced apart from the plate, said keeperhaving an opening at the junction of the plate therewith, a curved latchslidable in the opening and closing the space between the end of thekeeper and the plate, said latch having a cross head below the opening,a bar pivoted by one end to the plate and by the other to the latch anda spring between the bar and the plate for retaining the latch in closedposition.

2. A device of the character specified, comprising a supporting plate, acurved keeper on one side thereof, the free end of the keeper beingspaced apart from the plate, and inclined outwardly and upwardly for thepurpose specified, a latch slidable on the keeper for closing the spacebetween the end thereof and the plate, a bar pivoted to the plate and tothe outer end of the latch, and a spring engaging the bar for retainingthe latch in closed position.

3. A device of the character specified comprising a support, a keeper onthe support, a latch cooperating with the keeper to form a ring forreceiving the shaft, a spring nor mally retaining the latch in closedposition, and a bar pivoted by one end to the support and by the otherto the latch, said bar being inclined for the purpose specified,

and a guide on the keeper for directing the shaft against the bar.

4. A device of the character specified, comprising a support, a ringcomprising a section fixed to the support, and a section slidable on thefixed section, a bar pivoted by one end to the support and by the otherto the movable section of the ring, said bar being inclined for thepurpose specified, means for directing the shaft against the bar, and aspring for retaining the movable section in closed position.

WALTER GARFIELD PETREE.

lVitnesses A. E. PEPPER, J. D. GARDWELL.

